Lora O'Brien – Irish Author & Guide

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Category: Irish Source Lore

A Crow, symbolising the Morrigan in Irish Mythology

The Morrigan in Irish Mythology

Posted on March 9, 2021March 9, 2021 by Lora O'Brien

The Mórrígan (also Morrigan, Morrígu, Mór-Ríoghain) is a striking figure from Irish mythology: known variously as an Irish Goddess, native Pagan deity in Ireland, or supernatural figure if we’re looking academically at Medieval Irish literature. The Mórrígan is most commonly associated with war and destruction; but she is actually a guardian Goddess of prophecy, magic,…

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A Dolmen for The Beginner's Guide to Irish Paganism Series

Irish Gods and Goddesses – Recommended Books

Posted on August 28, 2020August 28, 2020 by Lora O'Brien

Make sure you check out the full Beginner’s Guide to Irish Paganism Series. Moving on from the Recommended Irish History Books, we can now focus specifically on Irish Gods and Goddesses. As we said last time, these books can stretch a little to cover a broader ‘Celtic’ pantheon, but our focus here is quality information on…

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Daughters of Ernmas - A Woman Watches a Field at Sunset

The Daughters of Ernmas

Posted on June 10, 2020June 10, 2020 by Lora O'Brien

In our annual Meeting the Mórrígan programme, I got a question on the Daughters of Ernmas – basically, which ‘set’ of sisters was older? The basic info that’s going around runs like this: Ernmas is an Irish mother goddess, mentioned in Lebor Gabála Érenn and “Cath Maige Tuired” as one of the Tuatha Dé Danann….

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First Battle of Moytura - By C Michael Hogan, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13537541

First Battle Of Moytura – Cath Muige Tuired Cunga

Posted on December 15, 2019December 15, 2019 by Lora O'Brien

‘The Battle of Moytura at Cong’, also known as The First Battle of Magh Turedh, Maige Tuired, etc. This text can be difficult to find online, so I thought I’d add a copy here, and maybe do a reading of it at some point over on my YouTube Channel, for accessibility purposes. The source manuscript…

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Rathcroghan Crúachan JG O'Donoghue Illustration - Commissioned by Roscommon County Council

Táin Bó Cúailgne – Cattle Raid of Cooley: A Beginner’s Guide

Posted on December 11, 2019December 11, 2019 by Lora O'Brien

Ever wonder what is the Táin Bó Cúailgne? Or how to pronounce Táin Bó Cúailnge?! Here’s your guide, covering: a summary of the main storyline; the manuscript sources and recensions or versions it was recorded in; and even an audio reading so you can follow along! I’ve written a review of the Táin before, here,…

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The Brehon Law system, shining a light on Early Irish law

Brehon Law Resources

Posted on September 11, 2019September 25, 2019 by Lora O'Brien

Learn about Ancient Ireland’s Laws and Customs through study of the Brehon Law system. A student in our Mórrígan Intensive Programme asked me for resources on the Brehon Law system the other day, and I had to be honest – I didn’t have them to hand. It’s not an area I’ve really dug into yet,…

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Badb in Da Coca’s Hostel

The Badb in Bruiden Da Choca

Posted on July 17, 2019September 25, 2019 by Lora O'Brien

Bruiden Da Choca, ‘Da Coca’s Hostel’, is known also as Togail Bruidne Da Choca(e) (‘The destruction of Da Coca’s Hostel’), and is one of the many Badb or Mórrígna stories often quoted or referred to, but rarely read or studied. Let’s change that? It is available online, though only in a translation by Whitley Stokes,…

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